Guardian (MrMopp & Fangs9090)

[Fangs9090]

The ancient ruins. Cold, dark and abandoned. Filled with machinery the likes of which no one could understand. The people who made it died out long ago. Now the ruins attract the attention of any adventurers brave enough to explore the dangerous ruins and find whatever treasures may still lie within.

 

[MrMopp]

It was late summer and the elements were feeling in an cantankerous mood as they always do this time of year. The mountains stopped the storms as they passed, robbing the rain from them and causing them to thunder in protest and fight back with fists of wind.


Trina, the skin walker, trudged through the storm in her massive wolfish form. Normally, she appreciated the majesty of the mountain storms and the symphony of thunder, but she would have preferred to view it from the window with a cup of coco, safe and dry in her human skin. But as it happened, certain young mule decided to let itself out for walk outside the fence today, so, here she was. Getting a front row seat of the show as she tried to track down lost foal by smell. By now the rain and washed away way it's scent, but as much as Trina wanted to, she knew she couldn't return home without it. So she went onward in the most likely direction to either retrieve a mule or die trying. Of hypothermia, most likely. Stupid mule


It had been about an hour since Trina set off. Hungry, fatigued and disappointed, She sulked through the meadow her ears flat and her thick brown coat soaked to the bone. The long meadow grass tickled her belly rudely and the wildflowers glowed weakly against the grey sky in a failed attempts to cheer her up. In her mouth she carried a bag of once-dry clothing to put on when she found the mule, (she would have to shift to human to lead it home and she wasn't gonna go home nude in THIS weather) but now it was a mushy sponge that only served to weigh her head down, helping to make the fierce, wolfish monster look like a sad, tired old horse.


Lightning struck a skeletal tree nearby and Trina knew she needed to get out of the open field. Heading into the trees, she took shelter in the local temple. It was a nothing spectacular. Just a small, open shrine carved into the mountain, barely big enough to accommodate her bulk. Melted candles that littered the floor crunched uncomfortably under crunched under her paws, and the bitter smell of incense assailed her nostrils. Sitting on a pedestal at the very back of the tiny room sat a wooden effigy of the local Land-Spirit, holding out a hand to accept offerings.


Trina had no offerings to give at the moment and frankly, she didn't feel like she owed it so much as a handshake.


Dropping her soggy bag, Trina gave the presumptuous statue a derisive snort. "Thanks for the weather, asshole" she grumbled bitterly in wolf-tongue, and with as much irreverence as she had energy for, she shook her self dry, drenching the idol and the walls of its home and sticking loose fur all over the place. Probably not the most disrespectful thing she could have done, but since she merely wanted the neglectful gods attention and not it's undying wrath, she refrained from doing anything obscene to it. Besides, the the Mountain Spirit had provided her sanctuary more than once in her life, so she owed him a little respect.


Peeking her head out into the rain once more, Trina let out a long, low howl that the foal would recognize and waited for a response. No dice. She sighed and laid down on the ground. If the it had heard her call, she figured, the stupid thing was probably too busy cowering from the thunder to come. That, or it had run into a bear or lion and was too busy being digested. Joy.


Speaking of which, what time was it anyway? cause she was STARVING. No doubt dinner was already on the table back home and getting cold waiting for her. SO not fair. Tonight was bread-pudding night too. You know, come to think of it, baby mule sounded really appetizing at the-


Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. A big, fat rat had crawled out of the whole near the base of the idols pedestals, had climbed up onto its leg, and was sniffing around the bowl resting on it's lap for crumbs.


You know what? Trina thought. It wasn't like she was going home anytime soon and the lack of food wasn't helping her search any. So she might as well get back in the idols good-books and take this little vermin problem off his hands. Dinner was literally on the statue tonight.


The rat hadn't seen her yet, so while it's back was turned, Trina slooooowly stood up and as quietly as she could, snuck up towards it. She lifted up her gigantic paw ready to bring it down on the rodent and trap it against the statues leg with her wicked, finger long, bear claws.


Suddenly, lightning flash. And as the rats eyes darted in the direction of the light, it saw her!


Wasting no time, Trina's paw darted to pin the rodent. But since she was taking care not to damage the statue, she was too slow and the rat jumped off onto the ground. The chase was on! The rat ran behind the pedestal and Trina lunged her 'arm' around after it. Unable to see it properly, she missed. She nudged the statue away from the wall so she could squeeze around it. It was still there! She pounced! The rat tried to but Trina put her paw down on its tail and pinched it between her toes. She had it!


And then the ground collapsed beneath her.

 

[MrMopp]

(This enough for you?)

 

[Fangs9090]

The first spot to land after falling through the floor wasn't too far down, but it was small and at the top of a rumble of rocks and dirt, so a roll was inevitable. The bottom of the hill dropped off to a small ledge. The fall wasn't far enough to cause any serious injury but it was enough to prevent any jumping back up.


The cave was lit by a pair of strange glowing orbs on either side of a massive door that had already collapsed off the hinges. The design was unmistakably from the Ancients.


(Yes, that's plenty. Again, I don't require much. Just enough to work with.)

 

[MrMopp]

(Originally was going to have the rat STEAL something from her. Oh well)


Trina shook off the dirt and look back up at the hole. She huffed. Great. Not getting back up there. This HAD to be divine punishment or something


Welp. Her only way out was to go further through the ruins. Hopefully. So she picked herself up and walked through the doorway.

 

[Fangs9090]

The path lead down to another door that was slightly ajar. In the following room there was a bunch of machines and automations. The automations were deactivated or broken and only a few of the machines were still rhythmically moving. Off in a corner on top of a table sat one particular object that stuck from the rest. The design was different but judging from the dust on it, it had been there just as long as everything else. It seemed to be modeled after a female of one of the feline races. There was a hollow hole in its chest where it looked like something would fit in.

 

[MrMopp]

Trina looked at the... Um... What were they called?... Uh-tom-uh-ton or something funny like that?... Fancy word for a golem. Anyway, she examined the construct up and down. sniffing it here and there.


'Cool' she though, and looked around for a door.

 

[MrMopp]

(I feel like I'm missing something)

 

[MrMopp]

(I feel like I'm missing something)

(Never mind)

 

[Fangs9090]

There wasn't an obvious door that could be seen but across the room on another table sat a small glowing orb that looked about the right size to fit into the hole in this thing's chest.

 

[MrMopp]

Trina looked at the orb . Then back to the golem. Then back the orb. Then back to the golem.


... Well, she was out out of options. Let's see what happens. But first, she needed hand to work with.


The metal panel she happened to be standing on creaked as her body became smaller and lighter. Her bones shifted, her claws shrunk into nails, her tail receded into her spine And all her fur retreated into her skin, except on top of her head which grew down to her shoulders. When the brief transformation was finished, a brown haired young woman stood there, looking like she just got out of the shower.


She was also stark naked. Now you know why she didn't transform sooner. At least it was warm in here.


Trina carefully walked over to the table across the room on her unpadded feet, yelping and cursing every time she stepped on a something pointy ("Ow! Eeh! Ooh! OW! What son-of-a-something leaves THAT lying around? SLOBBS"). She picked up the orb, brought it back to the golem, inserted it into the chest-hole and stood back. "Aaaaaaaaand there. Its aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiv."


Nothing happened.


Trina frowned, "Ooor not." She leaned over and waved in its face. "Hellooooo? You gonna get up maybe? Do something interesting?... No?... Sheesh! Just as reliable as an actual cat." She crossed her arms and snickered. "Do I need to say some magic words to get you moving, or just open a can of tuna?"

 

[Fangs9090]

After a moment's delay, the machine's chest closed over the orb, a window still showing it glowing. The glow of the orb started to flow along a few visible circuits. Finally, the eyes lit up, blinking. The machine hopped off the table, moving as fluidly as any living being. It looked at Trina and spoke with clear, understandable words. "Hello, you must be new. She looked around, walking through the room. "Creator? Assistant? Child?" She stopped and turned to Trina. "Where is everyone?"

 

[MrMopp]

After a moment's delay, the machine's chest closed over the orb, a window still showing it glowing

Oh hey! It works!

Finally, the eyes lit up, blinking. The machine hopped off the table, moving as fluidly as any living being.

Trina jumped involuntarily.

It looked at Trina and spoke with clear, understandable words. "Hello, you must be new. She looked around, walking through the room. "Creator? Assistant? Child?" She stopped and turned to Trina. "Where is everyone?"

Trina stood there with her mouth open. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she expected but it wasn't this. "Um... 'Yes' to the first. 'I don't know ' to everything else. Nobody's lived here in, like, century's I think."

 

[Fangs9090]

The machine blinked at her. "Centuries? ...my internal clock seems to be missing." She looked at her arm, part of it opening up. "I am missing pieces. It seems I have been disassembled to some extent." She looked around, spotting a device on a table that matched her color pallette and design. She walked over to it and picked it up, placing it into the opening on her right arm. It locked into place and she blinked. "Acquiring new software......information check complete." She looked at her arm. "This is where my internal clock is...it has been a while." Suddenly a blade extended from the new device. "More importantly, I have my primary defense mechanism." She turned to Trina. "I'm still missing a lot of parts and I don't see anymore in this room. They must be in other cities. Would you mind helping me find them? They likely contain pieces if my memories as well. I'd like to know what exactly happened and why I was disassembled."

 

[MrMopp]

The machine blinked at her. "Centuries? ...my internal clock seems to be missing."

"Yeah, time flies, doesn't it? Wait... Your what is missing?"

She walked over to it and picked it up, placing it into the opening on her right arm. It locked into place and she blinked. "Acquiring new software......information check complete." She looked at her arm. "This is where my internal clock is...it has been a while."

Magical goblty-gook. Right. Trina refained from asking questions since she knew from experience it was gonna be a headache to make sense of.

Suddenly a blade extended from the new device.

Trina tensed up a little.

"More importantly, I have my primary defense mechanism."

Trina eyed the blade, "y'dont say."

She turned to Trina. "I'm still missing a lot of parts and I don't see anymore in this room. They must be in other cities. Would you mind helping me find them? They likely contain pieces if my memories as well. I'd like to know what exactly happened and why I was disassembled."

Trina blinked, "um I guess... But, I mean, I'm kinda... Woah, woah! hold on a sec." She put out a hand to halt this wierdness in its tracks. "Ok, were both a little disorient at the moment, so let's start over from the beginning." She straightened up and put on an artificial smile. "HIIIIIII! I'm Trina! I just fell through the ceiling a minute a go and am now having an awkward conversation with a talking metal cat-folk that I just magically revived in hopes of finding a way out of here. All in my birthday suit. Crazy day." She extended a hand. "Nice to meetcha. How's it go'n."

 

[Fangs9090]

The machine took a moment to comprehend this change of attitude before replying. "I believe my designated name was Dynia." She nodded in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you. And happy birthday." She looked around. "If my memories of this buildings layout are correct, I may be able to locate an exit." She looked to Trina. "Can you guide me to where you entered?"

 

[MrMopp]

The machine took a moment to comprehend this change of attitude before replying. "I believe my designated name was Dynia." She nodded in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you. And happy birthday."

"That's not what..." She looked the figure up and down and realized there might be a concept barrier here. "...Yeah. Thanks."

She looked around. "If my memories of this buildings layout are correct, I may be able to locate an exit." She looked to Trina. "Can you guide me to where you entered?"

"Yeah, sure." Said Trina, "Right this way."


Trina led the machine into the first room ("OW! Jeez! Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!), to the where the hole was, letting in a cold draft into the tunnels.


Trina extend her hand dramatically "Voila!"

 

[Fangs9090]

Dynia looked up at the hole. "Hm..." She looked around the cave. "It seems the old entrance has collapsed." She walked over to a wall of dirt. "This spot should be the quickest exit, but I lack a digging tool." She turned to look at Trina. "Do you have a digging tool?"

 

[MrMopp]

Trina hesitated. She knew what needed to happen, but she had always been carefull not to let any one outside her family see what she was. Then again did she have a choice? "...Yeah... Kinda." She said, rubbing the back of her neck. "Just... Just promise you won't freak out or anything. Or stab me."

 

[Fangs9090]

Dynia nodded. "You have my word." She stepped away from the wall and watched.

 

[MrMopp]

"Aright." Trina got down on all fours and began to transform. The cold that it bothered her I while ago went away as her fur sprouted and her muscle mass increased. She walked over to the to the wall, the little rocks and bits of hardware on the ground no longer be bothering her feet, and she began to dig.

 

[Fangs9090]

Dynia looked on in silence. It was difficult to tell what her reaction was to such a transformation since her eyes betrayed no emotion. She simply watched, recording the data for future reference.

 

[MrMopp]

Trina looked over her shoulder and took note of her companions lack of reaction. She didn't care. Good. She kept digging.

 

[Fangs9090]

It wasn't too much longer before the wall broke through to the other side, leading into a tunnel that lead above ground.

 

[MrMopp]

Trina crawled out of the hole and shook the dirt. She took a good whiff. Hey! She KNEW this place. This was definitely the right way to get out. She also smelled something else. Was it... Horse?


She turned her head and when her once her eyes adjusted to the light, her jaw dropped. There was the foal she had spent all evening searching for, huddled up against the wall of the tunnel, shivering and staring with wide eyes at the monster that had just popped out of the ground.


Trina's wagged her tail and panted heavily. Laughing.